I hear often that when something new appears that "competition is good". The primary reasons competition is seen as good, are: it drives down prices; it gives consumers more choice; it pushes technology forward, quicker. Competition is not good because: competition is why consumers have to choose between HD-DVD and BluRay; competition is why DRM exists; and more. In this article, each of the supposed benefits of competition will be looked at in more detail.

I think the author was implying that consumer goods are made to be disposable. They are produced cheaply, so it is more convenient to dispose of them rather then fix them.

I guess it depends on how one looks at the situation, or the situation one is in. On one hand that cheap washing opens the washing machine market to people who previously couldn't afford a washing machine, and on the other hand, it's a cheap washing machine that gets replaced when it breaks and the buyer still comes out ahead.

To that argument I say, just buy more expensive stuff. You'll be more inclined to fix it rather then throw it out. There are premium brands out there, they're just not sold at Wal-Mart.